DuPont SurfacesDuPont™ CoRIAn® SolID SuRfACe CommeRCIAl InteRIoR SURFACE INSTALLATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE SECTION

3 A. Silicone Adhesive

4 B. Wall Length Limitations

4 C. Outside Corners

5 D. Inside Corners

6 E. Inside Corner Alternative Hardseamed Wall Corners

7 F. Inside Corner Alternative:

Trim Covered Expansion Space

10 G. Inside Corner Alternative Silicone Filled Corners

10 H. Inside Corner Alternative: Lapped Corner with Expansion Space

12 I. Inside Corner Alternative: Adjacent Silicone Soft Seams

12 J. Outside Corners

12 K. Wall to Floor Details

14 L. Wall to Ceiling Details

16 M. Seaming

17 N. Safety

f

TECHNICAL buLLETIN

INTRODUCTION

This bulletin is offered to facilitate installation of DuPont™ Corian® solid surface commercial interior wall surfacing. The information needed to make design decisions on the primary features for a vertical surface application is summarized in Table 1.

Disclaimer

DuPont is the manufacturer of sheets of material and is not in the business of designing, fabricating or performing installations; nor do we employ architects skilled in the art of design. Accordingly, we do not claim to have any expertise in this area. As a result, we do not approve or disapprove any designs or drawing submittals or assume any liability for the design you selected. Any and all liability for a design rests with the architect, or the designer, or the owner, or the user, based on whatever contractual arrangements have been made.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 2

Table 1

Design Decisions; Interior Wall Vertical Surfacing

FEATURE COMMENTS

Color DuPont™ Corian® solid surface is offered in over one hundred colors. Colors can

be viewed at www.corian.com. Local distributors can provide color brochures and

samples. Call 1 800 436 6072 for the location of the distributor nearest you.

Cladding

Sheet

Thickness

All of the bulletin sketches show ¼-inch sheet material, but ½-inch material could

also be used. Although ¼-inch material is very durable in most applications, ½-inch

material will provide additional protection against impact damage in areas where high

levels of abuse can be anticipated.

Cladding

Adhesive

A 100% silicone sealant is suggested for bonding sheets to walls. Reference

Section A for silicone thickness and placement. Silicone thickness needs to be

increased if inside corners are hardseamed (reference Figure 6).

Cladding

Wall Seams

(Hard versus

Silicone)

Long expanses of inconspicuous hardseamed cladding provide desirable seamless

appearance and can ease cleaning and maintenance. However, hardseamed wall

lengths need to be limited per Table 2, page 4 to accommodate thermal expansion

and contraction. Soft or silicone seams (Figure 10) may be inserted as needed to

allow for expansion.

Outside

Corner Details

Outside corners can be made with either inconspicuous hardseams or silicone soft

seams, reference Figure 3. The wall length limits in Table 2 also apply to walls with

outside corners.

Inside Corner

Details

Inside corners can also be made with either inconspicuous hardseams or silicone soft

seams. The hardseam wall length limits in Table 3 apply to walls with inside corners.

The decision process for room inside corners is summarized in Figure 5. Options

for hardseamed inside corners appear in Figure 6. Options for silicone soft seamed

inside corners appear in Figures 7 through 10.

Wall to Floor

Details

Options for the connection between walls and floors appear in Figures 11a

through 11d.

Wall to Ceiling

Details

Options for the connection between walls and ceilings appear in Figures 12a

through 12c.

Additional introductory comments most applicable to the fabricator/installer include:

DuPont™ Corian® sheet can be mounted with either horizontal or vertical seams in vertical cladding applications. Sheets can be

seamed together using butt or tongue and groove edge seams. Reference Section M for more information on tongue and

groove joints.

To ease alignment between sheets it is preferable to only have vertical or horizontal seams, not both. Therefore, for long, full

height walls vertical seams are preferable. Develop an overall installation plan based on the application. Care must be taken to

mount sheets with plumb and level vertical and horizontal edges, respectively, especially for the initial sheet mounted on a wall.

Both vertical edges of corner panels should be plumb. It is easier to align a larger sheet than a narrow vertical or horizontal strip.

To ease alignment for hardseamed panels it is suggested that narrow strip pieces, e.g., corner pieces or baseboards, be seamed

to larger pieces prior to installation on the wall.

Reference Section J for requirements for cutouts.

•

•

•

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VERTICAL SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 3

Elo

ng

atio

n a

t B

reak

(in

)

Silicone Beads

Use sufficient silicone to create

a minimum 1/16-inch bond line

thickness after installation.

A. Silicone Adhesive

A 100% silicone sealant is suggested for bonding sheets to walls. An adhesive thickness greater than or equal to 1/16-inch is

suggested to apply the sheet to the wall. The use of an elastic silicone and the final thickness of the silicone bond are important

to create an elastic connection between the Corian® sheet and the wall substrate to allow for differential expansion and

contraction (reference Figure 1). A silicone bead between 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch diameter will yield bond line widths between

3/4-inch and 1 3/4-inches when compressed to 1/16-inch thickness. Make a perimeter bead of silicone about 1-inch in from

edges of the sheet and run beads across the width of sheet about every 6 to 12 inches (reference Figure 2).

Figure 1 DuPont™ Surfaces Sealant for Corian®, DuPont™ Zodiaq® andDuPont™ Wall Surfaces

Bondline Lap Shear Data Between DuPont™ Corian® and Gypsum Wallboard

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2

Bondline T hickne ss (in)

Figure 2 Silicone Adhesive Placement

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 4

B. Hardseamed Wall Length Limitations

Long expanses of inconspicuous hardseamed cladding can be fabricated using Corian® solid surface sheets and DuPont™

Joint Adhesive. Maximum suggested wall lengths versus the expected temperature change appear in Table 2. If desired wall

dimensions exceed those suggested, an expansion joint is required (Reference Figure 10).

Table 2 Hardseamed Wall Length Limits as Function of Expected Temperature Change

°F Length Limit (ft) °C Length Limit (m)

±10 72 ±6 20

±15 48 ±9 14

±20 36 ±12 10

±25 29 ±15 8

±30 24 ±18 7

±35 21 ±21 6

±40 18 ±24 5

The temperature range used for design should be based on the expected deviation from the installation temperature and should

include consideration for the construction phase as well as occupation. Plan the installation to minimize ambient temperature

changes on site. If possible, the building should be heated prior to installation. Acclimate the materials and building to the design

temperature for at least 48 hours with air circulation around the materials.

C. Outside Corners

Outside corners may be either hardseamed or silicone seamed as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

Alternative Outside Corners

HARDSEAM SILICONE SEAM

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone Filled Seam

Subwall

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

Subwall

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone Filled Seam

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VERTICAL SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 5

D. Inside Corners

Any inside corners at the end of walls should be designed to allow for expansion. Corian® wall-panel expansions as a function

of wall length for three different temperatures are shown in Figure 4. Corian® wall-panel expansion can be calculated using the

following formula:

∆Length (in) = a (in/in-°) × Length (in) × ∆Temperature (°)

where a = 0.000018 in/in-°F (in English units)

a = 0.000032 in/in-°C (in SI units)

Use of this formula is suggested, neglecting the expansion of the wall substrate material. Neglecting the differential expansion

or contraction of the wall substrate simply adds a factor of safety.

Figure 4 Wall Expansion and Contraction

(dT =∆T)dT=10˚F

dT=20˚F

dT=30˚F

0.180

0.160

0.140

0.120

0.100

0.080

0.060

0.040

0.020

0.000

Five alternatives for inside corners at the end of walls are outlined below. Figure 5 presents a decision tree outlining inside

corner options.

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April 2009 6

Figure 5

Inside Corner Options

E. Inside Corner Alternative: Hardseamed Wall Corners

Perpendicular walls can be completely hardseamed including the corners as shown in Figure 6, subject to the wall length limits

suggested in Table 3. A minimum 1/8-inch gap behind each panel is suggested. Be sure to radius the inside corner of butting

panels.

Figure 6 Hardseamed Corners

Wall Length and

Temperature Allow

Hardseamed Corner

per Table 3, page 7,

Section E

Reference Figure 6

OPTIONS:Trim Covered Expansion Space: Reference Figures 7a through 7dSilicone Filled Corner: Reference Figure 8Lapped Corner with Expansion Space: Reference Figure 9Silicone Seam Away from Corner: Reference Figure 10

•

•••

YES

NO

V-Groove Cove

>1/8” Thick Silicone

1½” Radius Typical for¼” Material

3” Radius Typical for ½” Material

1/4” Radius

(Typical)

Thermoformed 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

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April 2009 7

Table 3

Suggested Wall Length Limits for Hardseamed Corners asFunction of Expected Temperature Change (Reference Figure 5)

∆T (°F) Suitable Wall Length

Limit (ft)

±10 30.9

±15 20.6

±20 15.4

±25 12.3

±30 10.3

±35 8.8

±40 7.7

F. Inside Corner Alternative: Trim Covered Expansion Space

Corners may be made using trim pieces as shown in Figures 7a through 7d. Expansion clearance greater than 0.75 times the

greatest wall expansion is suggested relative to the projection of any perpendicular wall into the corner to prevent interference

between adjacent walls. Typical values are tabulated in Table 4.

Figure 7a V-Groove Trim Covered Expansion Space

˚

11/2” Typical

Wall Panel Clearance*

1/4” Thick Solid Surface**

1/16” Thick Minimum SiliconeWall Panel Clearance*

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

11/2” Typical

*WallPanelClearance>75%ofCalculatedWallExpansionatAllWallEnds

**1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

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Figure 7b Thermoformed Trim Covered Expansion Space

Figure 7c Baffle Trim Covered Expansion Space

Wall Panel Clearance*

1/16” Thick Minimum SiliconeWall Panel Clearance*

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone1½” Radius Typical for¼” Material

3” Radius Typical for ½” Material

1/4” Thick Solid Surface**

*WallPanelClearance>75%ofCalculatedWallExpansionatAllWallEnds

**1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

Wall Panel Clearance*

1/4” Thick Solid Surface**

1/16” Thick Minimum SiliconeWall Panel Clearance*

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

11/2” Typical

450

*WallPanelClearance>75%ofCalculatedWallExpansionatAllWallEnds

**1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

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Figure 7d

Wedge Trim Covered Expansion Space

Table 4 Suggested Wall Panel Clearance as Function of Expected Temperature Change for Trim Covered Expansion Spaces

(Reference Figures 7a through 7d)

∆T = ±10°F ∆T = ±20°F ∆T = ±30°F

Length (ft) Clearance (in) Clearance (in) Clearance (in)

10 0.016 0.032 0.049

20 0.032 0.065 0.097

30 0.049 0.097 0.116

40 0.065 0.116

50 0.081 0.130

60 0.097

70 0.113

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

1/4” Thick Solid Surface**

*WallPanelClearance>75%ofCalculatedWallExpansionatAllWallEnds

**1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

*Wall Panel Clearance

1/2”x 1/2”x45˚ Solid Surface Wedge9/16”

9/16”

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone*Wall Panel Clearance

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 10

1/16” Thick Minimum SiliconeYb Ya

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

Silicone BaSe ThickneSS

Ya Wall Interference Clearance >75% of Calculated Wall Expansion

Yb > 250% of Calculated Wall Expansion

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

Yb

Ya Silicone Filled Corners

G. Inside Corner Alternative: Silicone Filled Corners

Corners may be silicone filled as shown in Figure 8. Suggested minimum dimensions are shown.

Figure 8 Silicone Filled Corners

H. Inside Corner Alternative: Lapped Corner with Expansion Space

Perpendicular walls can lap adjacent walls as shown in Figure 9, allowing expansion space for one wall length in each corner of

the room. Corner void spaces equal to 1.5 times the estimated wall expansion for the free expanding wall are suggested. Typical

values are tabulated in Table 5. The free expanding wall should project behind the lapping wall by at least one half the thickness

of the wall sheet. The space between the lapping wall is suggested to be at least 1/16-inch in dimension and filled with color

matched DuPont™ Surfaces Silicone Sealant. Caution: do not remove wall material from a fire-rated wall to create a corner void space.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 11

Figure 9 Lapped Corner with Expansion Space

Table 5 Suggested Void Space as Function of Expected Temperature

Change for Lapped Corner with Expansion Space (Reference Figure 9)

∆T = ±10 °F ∆T = ±20 °F ∆T = ±30 °F

Length (ft) Void (in) Void (in) Void (in)

10 0.032 0.065 0.097

20 0.065 0.130 0.194

30 0.097 0.194 0.233

40 0.130 0.233

50 0.162 0.259

60 0.194

70 0.227

Void Space > 150% of Calculated Wall Expansion

> 50% of Solid Surface Thickness

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*> 1/16” Thick

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 12

I. Inside Corner Alternative: Adjacent Silicone Soft Seams

It may be desirable to locate exposed silicone away from inside corners to ease janitorial maintenance. An example of a

seamless corner with an adjacent soft seam appears in Figure 10. Soft seams can also be used at other locations in extensive

wall lengths as expansion joints. A minimum gap of 3/16-inch filled with color matched DuPont™ Surfaces Sealant for Corian®,

Zodiaq® and DuPont™ Wall Surfaces is suggested.

Figure 10 Silicone Soft Seams

J. Cutouts

Cutouts in Corian® vertical wall applications are suggested to be made oversized by 1/8-inch to allow for expansion and

contraction. Radius cutout corners with 3/16-inch radii and sand edges smooth to prevent possible cracking.

K. Wall to Floor Details

Wall to floor alternatives are shown in Figures 11a through 11c.

Figure 11a Floor Detail Alternative

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

Floor

Subwall

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

Thermoformed or Hardseamed Corner

3/16” Joint for Expansion Fill with Silicone to Match Color

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 13

Figure 11b Floor Detail Alternative with Trim

Figure 11c Floor Detail Alternative with Tile

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

Waterproof Membrane

Subwall

Tile FloorGrout

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

Base Trim

1/16” Thick Minimum SiliconeFloor

Subwall

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 14

Figure 11d

Floor Detail Alternative with Flash Cove

L. Wall to Ceiling Details

Wall to ceiling alternatives are shown in Figures 12a through 12c.

Figure 12a Ceiling Detail Alternative

Floor

Subwall

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

Bead of Silicone

Flash Cove Cap Strip

Floor MaterialsFlash Cove Stick

1/8” Minimum Gap to Ceiling Fill with Silicone to Match Color

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

Ceiling

Subwall

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 15

Figure 12b Ceiling Detail Alternative with Trim

Figure 12c Detail for Suspended Ceiling

1/8” Minimum Gap to Ceiling Fill with Silicone to Match Color

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

Ceiling

Subwall

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

Trim

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

Subwall

Suspended Ceiling

1/8” Minimum Gap to Ceiling Fill with Silicone to Match Color

1/16” Thick Minimum Silicone

1/4” Thick Solid Surface*

* 1/4”ThickSolidSurfaceshown.1/2”SolidSurfacecouldalsobeused.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 16

M. Seaming

Sheets can be seamed together using either DuPont™ Joint Adhesive or DuPont™ Surfaces Sealant for Corian®, Zodiaq® and

DuPont™ Wall Surfaces. DuPont™ Corian® sheets can be seamed together using either butt or tongue and groove joints.

The choice between a butt or tongue and groove seam should be based on ease of installation and fabrication cost. The potential

advantage of a tongue and groove joint relative to a butt joint is easier sheet alignment. This can translate into labor savings by

reducing the time it takes to finish sand the seam. Depending on the installer’s capability to align butt joints using clamps or

other methods, the added cost of cutting the tongue and groove detail may not be justified.

Figure 13 shows the assembly of a tongue and groove seam for ¼-inch (6.5 mm) solid surface sheet. Figure 14 shows ¼-inch

cutter detail dimensions. Cutters are also available for ½-inch sheet. Potential sources for tongue and groove cutters or router

bits include those listed in Table 6.

Figure 13 Assembled Tongue and Groove Joint

Figure 14 Tongue and Groove Profile, ¼-inch

Figure Dimensions in Metric Units (mm)

Groove Side Profile

Tongue Side Profile

1.865 Ref.

0.2

R=1.0

R=1.0

R=0.9 2.80 Theo

2.63

6.5

10˚

10˚

2.50

R=0.9

R=0.9

R=1.0 2.75 Theo

1.89 Theo

1.868 Ref.6.5

1.85 Ref

No Gap at Top Face

Tongue

0.006” Glue Gap (Typ.)

0.008” Glue Gap (Typ.) at Bottom Face

Groove

1 /4”

1 /4”

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 17

Table 6 Potential Tongue and Groove Cutter Sources

Part Numbers

Sources ¼-inch ½-inch

Diversified Equipment (704) 533-1891 H9662, H9663 H6664, H9665

Titman USA (800) 722-6486 0.506.190.21 and 0.511.190.21

F. M. Velepec Co. (800) 365-6636 60-250

It is important to center tongue and groove features in the material thickness and remove the same amount of material on both

sides of the tongue. CNC equipment can be used with proper sheet hold down. It is critical to hold the sheet flat, especially the

edge which is being routed. Alternatively, hand held routers can be used either in the field or shop. Figure 15 is a drawing of a

base plate useful for router set up. Setting up two routers with base plates for both cutters is suggested.

Complete as much of the fabrication as possible before wall installation. Fabrication tasks are typically easier with the sheet flat

in a horizontal plane either in the shop or at the job site. Handle panels carefully to prevent breakage until panels are mounted to

the wall. Dry fit sheet panels before adhesive application. A good dry fit is needed to produce inconspicuous seams. Completely

fill seams with adhesive. Application of adhesive to both sides on the tongue and into the groove of tongue and groove features

is suggested to eliminate air pockets.

N. Safety

DuPont™ Corian® solid surface can be cut and worked with like wood. It is best to minimize all dust and shavings by containing

them with a vacuum. Use proper safety equipment when working with Corian®, DuPont™ Joint Adhesive, and DuPont Surfaces

Sealant for Corian®, Zodiaq® and DuPont™ Wall Surfaces including safety glasses, appropriate gloves, steel-toe shoes, and ear

plugs. Lifting devices or carts may be use to improve safe handling for larger pieces. Reference product MSDS available on:

http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces_Commercial/en_US/tech_info/bulletins/corian.html.

DuPont™ CoRIAn® CommeRCIAl InteRIoR VeRtICAl SURFACE INSTALLATION

April 2009 18

Figure 15 Router Base Plate for Tongue and Groove Cutter Set Up

In all cases, Dimension “A” minus Dimension “B” equals the amount of extra stock that will be removed. Dimension “A” is the radius of the router bit and may be different for each bit supplier.

For the tongue bit “A” and “B” can be equal. Measure the “A” feature shown here:

For the groove bit, measure the feature shown here:

For the groove bit “A” – “B” is recommended to be 1/16-inch. One or two cuts may be needed if sheet edges are rounded.

“A”

“B”

Dimension “A” See Notes

R0. 25

Bolt circle and countersunk holes to mount router

R1 00

12.00

6.00

R0. 25

1.25

R1. 00“B” See Notes

3.25

6.50

0.25

R0. 25 R0. 25

Copyright©2008DuPont.TheDuPontOvalLogo,DuPont™,Themiraclesofscience™andDuPontSurfacesSealantforCorian®,Zodiaq®andDuPont™WallSurfacesareregisteredtrademarksortrademarksofE.I.duPontdeNemoursandCompanyoritsaffiliates.Allrightsreserved.K-20025(09/08-maciej)PrintedintheU.S.A.

The information contained in this Technical Bulletin is given by the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company free of charge. It is based

on technical data which DuPont believes to be reliable and is intended for use by persons having knowledge of this technical area at

their own discretion and risk. Seller assumes no responsibility for results obtained or damage incurred from the use of this Technical

Bulletin either in whole or in part by a buyer of Corian®.